Deloitte is moving ahead with plans to hire 50,000 professionals in India while expanding its focus on artificial intelligence (AI). In a recent interview, the company’s South Asia COO, Nitin Kini, said the country should prioritise upskilling to take on more complex roles. Speaking amid concerns around AI-led job losses, Kini said the company sees the technology as a way to improve efficiency rather than reduce workforce size.In an interview with the news agency PTI, Kini said, “I do not think job losses are the way. It is about upskilling and making sure that we can solve higher-order value problems with emerging tech.”The hiring push is part of Deloitte’s broader expansion strategy in India, where it is also investing in training programmes and new initiatives. This includes a planned Quantum Centre of Excellence. The company has already trained nearly 30,000 employees in AI and is transitioning thousands more to work with its internal platforms. This confirmation comes as India remains a key market for the company, with nearly a third of its global workforce based there. Kini also added that Deloitte consistently invests 9% of its top line into capability and capacity building, as well as innovation.

What Deloitte South Asia COO said about India PSU’s hesitation on AI projects

Kini pointed to two hurdles holding back Indian PSUs and conglomerates from advancing AI projects beyond the pilot stage: data security and cost.“Companies want to ensure that their data, which is essentially IP, does not leave their perimeter. The second thing people ask is how to scale with confidence without ending up with a ‘bill shock’ from paid models where every token counts,” he told PTI.Kini noted that India should pursue both AI production and cybersecurity. “It is like asking me to choose between the accelerator and the brake. Let us be greedy and want them both… a great car with a great engine, with all the security features keeping you safe,” he said. Drawing a parallel with the ambitions of India’s younger generation, Kini added, “It is a ‘Dil Maange More’ approach.”